The opposition today moved a motion that the doctors’ salary allocation of $59.4 million in the 2017/2018 National Budget be transferred from the Ministry of Civil Service to the Ministry of Health.

The motion was moved by SODELPA MP Salote Radrodro during the Committee Of Supply budget debate in Parliament today.

In response to the motion, Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said that given the reforms that are taking place, the doctors’ salary allocation was moved to the Ministry of Civil Service in last year’s budget.

He says it creates more transparency and there were administrative issues.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the doctors are happy about this.

SODELPA MP Aseri Radrodro then asked why $1.2 million for doctors training was also allocated under the Ministry of Civil Service.

In response, Sayed-Khaiyum said the training goes along with the salary because they are looking at the entire package for the doctors.

He says it also includes doctors going overseas for training or for short attachments as they try to create more specialization.

Sayed-Khaiyum says they have a very robust arrangement where the reporting of doctors is done through the normal health system but the Ministry of Civil Service looks after salaries, promotions and hiring of people.

Speaker of Parliament, DR Jiko Luveni ruled that transfer of funds from one ministry to another cannot be done and the vote was not taken.

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